forefathers Abraham and his seed for ever Or Psalm 98. O Sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things With his own right hand and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory The Lord declared his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen He hath remembred his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God Shew your selves joyful unto the Lord all ye lands sing rejoyce and give thanks Praise the Lord upon the harp sing to the harp with a Psalm of thanksgiving With trumpets also and shawms O shew â—our selves joyful before the Lord the King Let the Sea make a noise and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein Let the floods clap their hands and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for he is come to judge the earth With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Luke 2. 29. (e) This or the next were wont to be read at the Evening after the second chapt LOrd now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Or Psalm 67. GOd be merciful unto us and bless us and shew us the light of his countenance and be merciful unto us That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee O let the nations rejoyce and be glad for thou shalt judge the folk righteously and govern the nations upon earth Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God even our own God shall give us his blessing God shall bless us and all the ends of the world shall fear him Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The repetition of this ancient doxology had this pious intention viz. to keep the mystery of the blessed Trinity in the mindes of the vulgar who else may be in danger to forget it Which with the other according to the rule were to be read by the Minister alone and not interchangeably by the people though the common practice had prevailed otherwise The Creed (f) This was wont to be read after the second chapter both at morning and evening I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Amen The Nicene Creed (g) This was used to be read in the morning I Believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of the Father And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead whose kingdom shall have no end And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptisme for the remission of sins And I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen The Creed of Athanasius commonly so called (h) This was appointed to be read about thirteen times in the year to the people if it were now read once a month it were very convenient WHosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick faith Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly And the Catholick faith is this that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost But the God-head of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all one the glory equal the Majesty coeternal Such as the Father is such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost The Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate The Father incomprehensible the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible The Father eternal the Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eternal And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal As also there are not three incomprehensibles nor three uncreated but one uncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is Almighty the Son Almighty and the Holy Ghost Almighty And yet they are not three Almighties but one Almighty So the Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God And yet they are not three Gods but one God So likewise the Father is Lord the Son Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords but one Lord. For like as we be compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord. So are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords The Father is made of none neither created nor begotten The Son is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding So there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one Holy Ghost not three Holy Ghosts And in this Trinity none is afore or after other none is greater or less then another But the whole three persons be coeternal together and coequal So
also faithfully for their part by you that be their sureties profess the faith of Christ and promise that they will forsake the Divel and all his works and constantly believe Gods holy word and obediently keep his commandements Minister Doest thou in the name of this Childe promise to forsake the Devil and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same the carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them Answer I will forsake them all Minister Doest thou in the name of this Childe profess this Faith to Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord and that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended into Hell and also did rise again the third day that he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead And doest thou in the name of this childe believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the communion of the Saints the Remission of sins the Resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life after death Answer All this I stedfastly believe Minister Wilt thou be Baptised And do you dedesire in the name of this Infant that he may be Baptized in this faith Answer That is my desire Now dearly beloved forasmuch as all men be conceived and born in sin and that our Saviour Christ saith none can enter into the Kingdome of God except he be regenerate and born anew I beseech you to call upon God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot have that they may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost and received into Christs holy Church and be made lively members of the same that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive them to lay his hands upon them to bless them and release them of their sins to give them the Kingdome of Heaven and everlasting life Let us Pray ALmighty and everlasting God which of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the Ark from perishing by water and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the red Sea figuring thereby thy holy baptisme and by the baptisme of thy welbeloved Son Jesus Christ didst sanctifie the flood Jordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin we beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully look upon these children sanctifie them and wash them with the Holy Ghost that they being delivered from thy wrath may be received into the Ark of Christs Church and being stedfast in faith joyful through hope and rooted in Charity may so pass the waves of this troublesome world that finally they may come to the land of Everlasting life there to reign with thee world without end And O Lord who art the aid of all that need the helper of all that flee to thee for succour the life of them that believe and the resurrection of the dead we call upon thee for these Infants that they coming to thy holy baptisme may receive remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration Receive them O Lord as thou hast promised by thy welbeloved Son saying ask and you shall have seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you So give now unto us that ask let us that seek find open the gate unto us that knock that these Infants may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy Heavenly washing and may come to thy Eternal Kingdome And O Heavenly Father we give thee humble thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee Increase this knowledge and confirm this faith in us evermore Give thy Holy Spirit to these Infants that they may be born again and be made heirs of everlasting Salvation and as the way to attain it grant that the old Adam in these children may be so buried that the new man may be raised up in them and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them That they may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against the Devil the world and the flesh And grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and ministrie may also be endowed with heavenly vertues and everlastingly rewarded through thy mercy And seeing we hear thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood and gave commandment to his Disciples that they should go and teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost regard we beseech thee the supplication of thy congregation and grant that these thy servants which shall be baptized in this water may receive the fulness of thy grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Amen N. I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen We receive this child into the Congregation of Christs Flock * If they that bring the Children do defire it the Minister may add viz. and do signe him with the signe of the Crosse that so hereafter he may not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against Sin the world and the Devill and to continue Christs faithfull Souldier and servant unto his lives end Amen Seeing now deerly beloved Brethren that these children have received the Sacrament of Regeneration and thus visibly grafted into the body of Christs Congregation Let us give thanks unto God for these benefits and with one accord make our prayers unto Almighty God that they may lead the rest of their life according to this beginning OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deilver us from evill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for ever Amen Wee yield thee hearty thanks most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to make this infant partaker of this Sacrament of Regeneration and thus to receive him for thy child by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation And humbly we beseech thee to grant that he being dead unto Sin and living unto righteousness and being buried with Christ in his death may crucifie the old man and utterly abolish the whole body
Articles of the Christian Faith And thirdly that I should keep Gods holy will and Commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of my life Question Dost thou not think thou art bound to believe and do what was promised for thee Answer Yes verily and with Gods help so I will and I pray God give me his grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Question Rehearse the Articles of thy belief Answer I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amen Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy belief Answer First I learn to believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the world Secondly in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all mankinde Thirdly in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God Question How many Commandements be there Answer Ten. Question Which be they Answer THe same which God spake in the twenty Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage I. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me II. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandements III. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it V. Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt do no murther VII Thou shalt not commit adultery VIII Thou shalt not steal IX Thou shalt not beare false witness against thy neighbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his Question What dost thou chiefly learne by these commandements Answer I learne two things my duty towards God and my duty towards my neighbour Question What is thy duty towards God Answer My duty towards God is to believe in him to feare him and to love him with all my heart with all my mind with all my soule and with all my strength To worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy name and his word and to serve him truely all the dayes of my life Question What is thy duty towards thy neighbour Answer My duty towards my neighbour is to love him as my self and to do to all men as I would they should do unto me To love honour and succour my father and Mother To honour and obey the King or supream Magistrate and his Ministers To submit my self to all my Governours teachers spirituall pastours and Masters To order my self lowly and reverently to all my betters to hurt no body by word nor deed To be true and just in all my dealing To beare no malice nor hatred in my heart To keepe my hands from stealing and my tongue from evill speaking lying and slandering To keepe my body in temperance sobernesse and chastity Not to covet or desire other mens goods but to learn and labour truely to get mine own living and to do my duty in that state of life unto the which it shall please God to call me Question My good childe know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walke in the commandements of God and to serve him without his speciall grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent prayer Let me heare therefore if thou canst say the Lords Prayer Answer OUr Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our dayly bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And leade us not into temptation But deliver us from evill For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen Question What desirest thou of God in this prayer Answer I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father who is the giver of all good to send his grace unto me and to all people that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to do And that he would send us all things that be needefull both for our soules and bodyes And that he will forgive us our sinns and save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will keepe us from all sinne and wickedness and from our ghostly enemy and from everlasting death And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ And therefore I say Amen So be it Question How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church Answer Two onely as generally necessary to salvation that is to say Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Question What meanest thou by this word Sacrament Answer I meane an outward and visible signe of an inward and spirituall grace given unto us ordeined by Christ himself as a meanes whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Question How many parts be there in a Sacrament Answer Two the outward visible signe and the inward spirituall grace Question What is the outward visible signe or forme in Baptisme Answer Water wherein the person baptized is dipped or sprinkled with it In the Name of the Father and
that in all things as is aforesaid the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God is God and man God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds and man of the substance of his mother born in the world Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soul and humane flesh subsisting Equal to the Father as touching his Godhead and inferiour to the Father touching his manhood Who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of person For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ Who suffered for our salvation descended into Hell rose again the third day from the dead He ascended into Heaven he sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire This is the Catholick faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved The Ten Commandements GOd spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murder 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his At the beginning of Prayer as a preparative of the peoples attentions and affections there were diverse choice sentences out of holy Scripture some of which were to be read at the discretion of the Minister and then the known solemn exhortation accordingly which are still in their memories A Sorrowful spirit is a sacrifice to God despise not O Lord humble and Psal 51. contrite hearts Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God because he is gentle and merciful he is patient and of Joel 2. much mercy and such a one that is sorry for your afflictions To thee O Lord God belongeth mercy Dan. 9. and forgiveness for we have gone away from thee and have not hearkned to thy voice whereby we might walk in thy laws which thou hast appointed for us Correct us O Lord and yet in thy judgement Jer. 10. not in thy fury lest we should be consumed and brought to nothing Amend your lives for the kingdome of God is at hand Matt. 3. I will go to my Father and say unto him Luk. 15. Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee I am no more worthy to be called thy son Enter not into judgement with thy servants Psalm 143. O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us 1 John 1. And as the Apostles by the command of our Saviour gathered up the crumbs that remained that nothing was lost of which they filled twelve baskets so these twelve short Prayers composed for several seasonable occasions may not be omitted For rain if the time require it O God heavenly Father which by thy son Jesus Christ hast promised to all them that seek thy kingdom and the righteousness thereof all things necessary to their bodily sustenance send us we beseech thee in this our necessity such moderate rain and showres that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort and to thy honour through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For faire weather O Lord God which for the sin of man didst once drown all the world except eight persons and afterward of thy great mercy didst promise never to destroy it so again we humbly beseech thee that although we for our iniquities have worthily deserved this plague of rain and waters yet upon our true repentance thou wilt send us such weather whereby we may receive the fruits of the earth in due season and learn both by thy punishment to amend our lives and for thy clemency to give thee praise and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In time of dearth and famine O God heavenly Father whose gift it is that the rain doth fall the earth is fruitful beasts increase and fishes do multiply behold we beseech thee the afflictions of thy people and grant that the scarcity and dearth which we do now most justly suffer for our iniquitie may through thy goodness be mercifully turned into cheapness and plenty for the love of Jesus Chirst our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour c. In time of war O Almighty God King of all Kings and governour of all things whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners and to be merciful unto them that truly repent save and deliver us we humbly beseech thee from the hands of our enemies abate their pride asswage their malice and confound their devices that we being armed with thy defence may be preserved
the man may give unto the woman a Ring and put it upon the fourth finger of her left hand saying With this Ring I thee wed with my body I thee * i. e. I give thee my personal honours worship with all my worldly goods I thee endow In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Then may the Minister joyn their right hands together and say Those whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Forasmuch as N. and N. have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring and by joyning of hands I pronounce them to be man and wife together In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Let us pray O Eternal God Creator and preserver of all mankind giver of all spiritual grace the author of everlasting life send thy blessing upon these thy servants this man and this woman whom we bless in thy name that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together and live according to thy laws And O Lord seeing it is by thy gracious gift mankinde is encreased give that thy blessing of children to these two persons and grant them to live so long together in godly love and unity that they may see their childrens children and peace upon Israel O Lord bless them and sow the seed of eternal life in their mindes that whatsoever in thy holy word they shall profitably learn they may indeed fulfil the same Look O Lord mercifully from Heaven upon this thy servant and thy handmaid which do put their trust in thee send them help from thy holy place and evermore defend them be unto them a tower of strength from the face of their enemies And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah to their great comfort so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy servants that they obeying thy will and alway being in safety under thy protection may abide in thy love unto their lives end And O God which by thy mighty power hast made all things of nought which also after other things set in order didst appoint that out of man created after thine own image and similitude woman should take her beginning and knitting them together didst teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hast made one O Lord which hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church look mercifully upon these thy servants that both this man may love his wife according to thy word as Christ did love his Spouse the Church who gave himself for it loving and cherishing it even as his own flesh and also that this woman may be loving and amiable to her husband as Rachel wise as Rebecca faithful and obedient as Sarah and in all quietness sobriety and peace be a follower of holy and godly matrones O Lord bless them both and grant them to inherit thy everlasting Kingdome through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name and words we conclude our imperfect prayers saying Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our dayly bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen The Blessing ALmighty God which at the beginning did create our first Parents Adam Eve and did sanctifie and joyn them together in marriage poure upon you the riches of his grace sanctifie and bless you that you may please him both in body and soul and live together in holy love to your lives end God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost bless preserve and keep you The Lord mercifully look upon you and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace that you may so live together in this life that in the life to come you may have life everlasting Amen AN EXHORTATION AT THE BURIAL FOr asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed we therefore commit his body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust in sure and certain hope of a resurrection by our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change their vile bodies who do sleep in him that they may be like unto his glorious body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself And now while the body is interring it will be seasonable and profitable for us to hear some portions out of Scripture which may put us in minde of our mortalitie and of the resurrection 'T is the speech of Job Man that Job 14. 1 2. is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he flieth also as a shadow and continueth not I know that my redeemer liveth and Job 19. 25 26. that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not anothers though my reins be consumed within me The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. The speech of our Saviour I am John 11 25 26. the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die The speech of Saint Paul We 1 Tim. 6. 2. brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out Saint John saith I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write Rom. 14. 23. blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours But no place is more seasonable to be read now unto you then that of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15. 20. which chiefly concerneth the resurrection Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 20 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead 21 For as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive But every 22 man in his own order Christ the 23 first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when he